Our very own Matt Ebden is among 10 elite Australian athletes vying for the Sports Dad of the Year award to be announced on Father’s Day on Sunday, September 3.
The award showcases the contribution Australia’s sporting elite make to their families both on and off the field.
The Sports Dad of the Year will highlight 10 elite athletes across a range of sports, giving insights into how they juggle fatherhood with their sporting commitments.
This year’s nominated Sports Dads will be profiled on sportsdads.com.au which will include questions and answers from the players about their families, as well as some comments from the athletes’ family.
All voters have the opportunity to win special prizes for their own father this Father’s Day, with the winning Philips Sports Dad of the Year receiving $5,000 to donate to their charity of choice.
A Grand Slam tennis champion after his victory in the Wimbledon Men’s Doubles Final last year. We asked Matt what it was like returning this year with his wife Kim and son Harvey.
“I had goosebumps” he said “You feel triumphant having you name on the board. It was very special to share that with Harvey and to take him back to the crèche where he waited while I played the final, showing him the locker room and simply getting his credentials and photo and just seeing how much he has changed in the year. It’s the little things that are important and being a parent you understand that”
We then asked Matt how his preparations are looking leading into the US Open.
“I am always confident on hardcourt” he said “It’s good to have Kim and Harvey with me this year in the US. They didn’t come last year and it was tough for those 6-7 weeks apart. Even though I was playing well I was really depressed and it was very difficult not having them around so I’m grateful for them being with me this year.”
This years other finalists for the award include NRL stars Daly Cherry-Evans and Clint Gutherson, flying the flag for the AFL this year is Melbourne premiership winning captain Max Gawn and Collingwood legend Scott Pendlebury, while Wallabies flyer Marika Koroibete will hope to get plenty of votes from the rugby faithful leading into this years World Cup. Football is represented by the man who became an instant sporting hero to advance Australian into World Cup Andrew Redmayne and he teams up with fellow Socceroo Craig Goodwin who will be looking to add this year’s title as Sports Dad of the Year to his Johnny Warren Medal. And last but not least, rounding out this year’s contenders is one of Australian’s finest cyclists for the past 20 years Rohan Dennis and test cricket royalty Usman Khawaja.
You can now Vote for Matt at sportsdads.com.au
Voting closes on Tuesday, August 29, and the Sports Dad of the Year winner will be announced on Father’s Day.
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